The present invention relates generally to the assembly of roller bearings, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for inserting a predetermined number of roller bearings into a bearing bushing by first accumulating the required number of roller bearings and then simultaneously forcing the accumulated roller bearings axially into the bearing bushing.
Conventional methods for assembling such roller bearings, such as illustrated in German OS No. 2 019 922 provide for the initial arrangement of individual roller bearings in side by side relation, after which the required number of roller bearings are fed into an annular channel around a piston. In this arrangement, a collector channel is used to feed the individual roller bearings into the side by side position. The disadvantage of this conventional method is that the individual roller bearings must be precisely lined up in parallel relationship with one another when the collector channel has the required number of roller bearings. This, however, can only be ascertained by using a special counting device. Additionally, the collector channel must be pivoted in order to slide the individual roller bearings into the annular channel about the piston in a direction perpendicular to the axis of each roller bearing. If the counting device should fail or indicate the improper number, the entire assembly device will no longer function. Additionally, the apparatus required for this method is extremely expensive in that it requires several electrical or electronic devices for counting, determining accurate positions, etc.
It is accordingly the general object of the present invention to provide a method of quickly and inexpensively assembling roller bearings in a circumferential arrangement within a bearing bushing without the need of special counting devices, thus overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art.
A further more specific object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for assembling roller bearings with a bearing bushing in which the individual roller bearings are initially fed to a circumferential path with the axes of the individual roller bearings parallel and aligned in the direction of insertion into the bushing.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the description of the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings to be described more fully hereinafter.